1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical module that transmits and/or receives signals using light rays.
2. Description of the Related Art
A optical module is known that is provided with a photoelectric conversion element mounted on a substrate and an optical coupling member for coupling the photoelectric conversion element to an optical fiber (See e.g. JP-A-2010-122311, paragraph 0042 of the specification and FIGS. 1 and 5).
The optical module disclosed in JP-A-2010-122311 is constructed such that a protrusion wall for positioning is provided on a lens block as the optical coupling member and the lens block is positioned and fixed to the substrate by fitting the protrusion wall into a fitting hole of the substrate. In addition, the lens block has integrally a fiber-side lens array facing an end face of the optical fiber and an optical device-side lens array facing the photoelectric conversion element.
The photoelectric conversion element is mounted on a component-mounting surface of the substrate (a surface opposite to a surface facing the lens block) so as to sandwich the substrate between itself and the lens block. Where the photoelectric conversion element is a light-receiving element, light emitted from the optical fiber is incident on the lens block through the fiber-side lens array, is internally reflected at a reflecting surface of the lens block and is emitted from the optical device-side lens array toward the photoelectric conversion element. On the other hand, where the photoelectric conversion element is a light-emitting element, light emitted from the photoelectric conversion element is incident on the lens block through the optical device-side lens array, is internally reflected at the reflecting surface of the lens block and is emitted from the fiber-side lens array toward the optical fiber.